And Again
by Where-Lambs-Be-Peace
Summary: A Hinata and Sasuke fiction - another love story set in the the original Naruto world where Sasuke basically falls for Hinata but is in deep denial about it. Constructive criticism most welcome.


Chapter 1

Sunday, 4 September 2011

1:57 PM

"Naruto - left! Sakura - right!" cried an ebony haired genin as he himself pounced through the air straight towards it. In a matter of minutes the trio with their mentor were standing in front of a plump woman holding onto her screeching cat shouting about her little lost darling was once again back to her. 'I wonder if this mission is rigged,' thought Kakashi as he watched incredulously at the cat owner and her pet leaving. 'I swear that was the same cat _I _had to find when I was a genin,' he pondered, scratching his chin.  
>"WE'VE DONE THIS MISSION AT LEAST A HUNDRED TIMES ALREADY! WHEN CAN WE GET TO THE REAL NINJA STUFF?"<br>"NARUTO STOP BEING SO LOUD!" the pink haired Sakura berated as she hit him across the head. "Why can't you follow in Sasuke's example - right Sasuke?" she blinked dreamily at the said person. Sasuke turned silently away from the insufferable pair that was his teammates. He didn't want to admit it but Naruto was right. He was getting sick of these useless missions as well.  
>"You won't be doing anything above a D-rank until I say so. You guys are what's really helping this town by not letting these petty chores get in the elite ninjas' way. Hahaha - would you imagine an Anbu going over to Mrs Tanaka's place to water her garden? Trust me, you guys are good where you are now, " assured Kakashi as he opened one of his Icha Icha Paradise books in an offhand manner. "Anyway, good work today team - as usual. Remember to report to the training ground tomorrow at 6. Don't be late." With that their sensei walked off casually with one hand holding his beloved book and the other in his pocket while they stared at his receding back in disbelief. Sasuke was the first to recover and attempted to leave the scene before Sakura leapt onto his arm, clutching for her life. "So Sasuke, where are you off to now? Are you free this evening? Where -" but she was cut off with a sharp, "You're so noisy." and the arm she was holding onto was yanked away from her grasp as Sasuke continued to move away. "Hey Sakura! Let's go get some ramen together!" piped Naruto smiling brightly. " After a comment or two that eventually turned into a one-way argument and ended with Naruto gaining yet another bruise on his head and Sakura storming off, he decided that he should just go to Ichiraku's by himself. "I wonder why she keeps hitting me?" wondered Naruto out loud. 'She must really like me,' he happily concluded in his mind and with that he was off whistling happily and thinking abut his precious ramen.<p>

* * *

"We should stop training now - Come on Hinata! Let's go for some of that ramen you love so much! Me and Shino are starving!" shouted out Kiba to Hinata. Hinata turned away from the training post to look at her two comrades and smiled softly. 'At least they aren't sick of me just yet,' she thought hopefully. Her two new friends, Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka were intimidating at first but Kiba acted as if she was just a normal friend and Shino, she felt, had an understanding respect for her (why, she would never know) but she was definitely grateful for the two to be on her team.  
>"Hinata, well done on your training today. I can see that you really have improved from the first time we met," smiled her sensei, Kurenai, as she walked up to her. Hinata smiled more brightly. Her team's mentor was her idol - everything she wanted to be when she grew to become a jounin. She was beautiful, strong, smart and most of all, confident; she was the nurturing surrogate mother Hinata never had. "Come <em>on<em> Hinata - before I die of starvation here!" She thanked her sensei and ran towards her waiting friends.  
>'One day...she'll be all grown...they'll <em>all<em> grow into wonderful shinobi…' Kurenai thought sadly as she watched them disappearing from the training grounds.

"Do that again and you _and_ Akamaru will be getting a visit from the fleas I extracted last week," muttered Shino in an annoyed tone as he got back up from the floor after Kiba had somehow managed to pull the seat out from under him (Shino was not easily tricked). His comment though, shut both Kiba and Akamaru up and they both hid their sniggers behind their bowls of ramen. Hinata looked around hoping to catch a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed someone but he was nowhere to be seen and she couldn't help the little disappointed look creeping onto her face. "Aww Hinata don't be down! I was just kidding!" and before she knew it, Kiba was already pinching both her cheeks in an attempt to make her smile. "You should know better than to tease her about Naruto," Shino inputted. "H-Huh?" she blushed but Kiba was pinching her cheeks too tightly for her to faint.  
>"HEY GUYS! WHAT A COINCIDENCE YOU GUYS ARE HERE TOO! WE CAN HAVE A PARTY!" yelled a familiar voice. They all turned (Kiba still not letting go of Hinata's reddening cheeks) to face the loudmouthed blonde with Sasuke trailing grumpily behind, arms crossed and all.<br>"Say, this kid's got a funny face - is he with you guys?" Kiba let go of her face and rushed forward in anger. "SHE'S NOT A 'HE' YOU DUMBASS! THAT'S A GIRL RIGHT THERE SO SHOW SOME RESPECT!"  
>"WELL HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WITH HER HAIR SHORT LIKE THAT! IT'S NOT MY FAULT SHE LOOKS LIKE A BOY!" defended Naruto. Realising what he just said, he turned back in fear towards Hinata. "Not that there's anything wrong looking like a boy - at least you won't get picked on - eheh," he laughed nervously with a raging Kiba behind him. Hinata shook her head, still wearing her permanent blush. "It's f-f-fine," she stammered softly with a faraway look in her eyes. 'I'm talking to Naruto! I'm <em>talking<em> to _Naruto_!' she thought excitedly.  
>Sitting in one of the seats a bit further away from the group Sasuke broodingly tucked into his food, ignoring the chatter around him. "So why are you here with Naruto, Uchiha?" murmured Shino under the racket going on behind him. The rabble stopped to face Sasuke but Naruto answered for him. "Oh he's hear 'cuz he didn't want Sakura to see his ugly mug! I agreed to let him tag along since he said this would probably be the last place she would come to find him. " Kiba cracked out laughing while Shino gave a small chuckle.<p>

Food finished, Hinata sat fiddling with her fingers, every now and then looking up at her childhood crush, blushing and looking away again. Sasuke, sitting a few seats away, noticed those little actions and looked back at the short-haired girl. He glanced at Naruto and then back at the girl a couple of times and went into deep thought. 'If I wasn't so bored I wouldn't let my mind be taken up with this rubbish,' he thought. A girl who did _not_ have a crush on him? It was refreshing not to have a fan-girl drool all over him, hanging onto his arms and dragging down his pride with their girly affections. But this one wasn't just not into him but she was attracted to the dobe sitting there laughing like an idiot? Somehow he had to give her some respect: she was able to see past his stupidity and look at the person he really was because even though he wouldn't admit it, Naruto was strong as a person.

"OH NO! I'M OUT! I CAN'T PAY FOR THESE SIX BOWLS!"  
>"Naruto - calm down, you're hurting my ears . Sorry you can't pay it off - well - seeya!" said Kiba cheerily as he got off his seat to head home. "Bye Hinata - seeya tomorrow! Be prepared - we hafta catch that cat again!" he waved before he left. She stared with wide eyes as he left. Shino had gone mysteriously too and all that was left was her and Naruto. She felt like fainting. 'No! Keep it together Hinata!' she reminded herself. "I thought we just caught that cat today!" Naruto angrily intercepted looking at Sasuke who ignored him. "I'll p-pay for you N-N-Na-Naruto," she stammered softly, taking out a soft lilac, silk purse and taking out her and his amount. "No need. The dobe's got to learn how accept the consequences of his own actions." She looked up in a surprise at the cold voice to see Uchiha Sasuke standing with his hands in his pockets a couple of feet away from them. She forgot he was there. Naruto poked his tongue out at him and turned back to Hinata. "I don't want to say so but the teme's right - I can't make you pay for my food Hanara. I'll just stay back and clean up!" he smiled. "But thanks anyhow! You're a nice person!" She looked quickly up at her small compliment and blushed from head to toe at his smile and sincerity and the next thing she knew, she was lying on her own bed staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't hep a smile creeping up on her face - Naruto was finally noticing her<p>

He was seriously _not_ going to do anything like that ever again! Just because Naruto had to stay back to work off his bowls of ramen, _he_ had to be the one stuck carrying the girl - Hotaru or what ever her name was - back home. He was used to training hard - she was too soft on his back for his liking. He shuddered. Although he was a cold, heartless avenger, he wasn't morally uneducated…maybe...


End file.
